Return To Vinyl

In this episode - Return to Vinyl . . .

Can you name the tune from the introduction? Stick with me, and we will reveal it at the end of this podcast.

You may have missed it - Saturday, April 22, 2023, was Record Store Day. It was news to me. By chance, to get a new cartridge for my turntable, I made a trip to our local store (Standards) in Vista, CA. The store was crawling with customers. What's going on? So I had to look it up.

Record Store Day started on April 19, 2008, and was founded by Chris Brown, a record store employee in Baltimore, Maryland, and Eric Levin, the owner of Criminal Records in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of Record Store Day is to celebrate and promote independent record stores and the unique culture they foster. It has since grown into an international event, with hundreds of record stores participating worldwide.

In 2022, 41 million vinyl units were sold compared to 33 million CDs, highlighting a "remarkable resurgence" of the physical music format, per the Thursday report; according to The Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA), Vinyl records made up 70% of all physical music sales in 2022, bringing in a total of $1.2 billion in revenue.

A little historical content. The vinyl LP (long-playing record) was invented in 1948 by Columbia Records. The LP significantly improved over the 78 rpm shellac discs that were the standard, allowing for longer playing time and better sound quality. The LP was made possible by the invention of vinyl, a durable and flexible plastic material that could be molded into grooves to hold sound recordings. Vinyl was first developed in the 1920s, but in the late 1940s, it became the standard material for record production.

Columbia Records introduced the first LP in June 1948, 12 inches in diameter, and played at 33 1/3 revolutions per minute (RPM). This allowed up to 25 minutes of music to be recorded on each side of the disc, compared to the four or five minutes that could fit on a 78-rpm disc.

The introduction of the LP revolutionized the music industry, allowing for longer, more complex recordings and helping to establish the “album concept” as a complete artistic statement. The LP also helped to popularize a wide range of music genres, from classical music to jazz, blues, and rock and roll.

What's your most memorable moment visiting a record store? I'd have to say my first visit in 1986 to Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. was epic after my move to Los Angeles. Browsing my collection, I discovered the album "True" by Spandau Ballet, released in 1983.

My listening friends, what are you waiting for, stop reading this and drop an LP onto your turntable and enjoy!

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Comments

Morning Coffee

In this episode, Morning Coffee . . . Now, I’m not saying everyone needs coffee. Some folks get by just fine on, I don’t know, sunlight and positive thinking. Me? I’m pretty sure I started drinking the stuff sometime around the Reagan administration. Reading John Gierach’s "Ode to Campfire Coffee" in Trout Bum (a book that should be required reading for anyone who sees sleeping on the ground as recreation) got me thinking about how we’ve managed to complicate something as fundamentally simple as boiling water and adding grounds. Taste, you say? Look, black coffee is an acquired taste, like tequila or cilantro. I just don’t get it. Gierach, bless his heart, mostly drinks his java streamside, probably while wearing wool socks and waders and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. As for me? My outdoor coffee experience is a bit different. Picture this: the High Sierra, where campfires are banned (to avoid agitating Smoky Bear), and I’m huddled over a Whisperlite , coax...

Golf Evolving

In this episode, TGL–Golf Evolving . . . Welcome back to On the Fly! This week, I want to share what Lori discovered on ESPN about professional golf: the NEW TGL league. You see, golf has evolved over the centuries. The game has always adapted from Scotland's windswept links to Augusta's manicured courses. But what if I told you that the most significant change in golf history isn't happening on a sprawling 18-hole masterpiece but inside a building? Inspired by Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story," we’re about to tee off! Good morning, Americans! Today, we're talking about golf—a sport as old as time yet as new as tomorrow. Who hasn’t heard of Tiger Woods, the golfing phenom? Also, if you’re a golf fan, you've probably heard of Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irish star. But have you heard of their brainchild? It's called TGL–turning the golf world on its ear. TGL stands for TMRW Golf League. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy founded TMRW Sports in partne...

Decoding the Cryptic

In this episode, Decoding the Cryptic . . . Welcome back to On the Fly ! This week, we're tackling something that's been driving me—and probably you— absolutely crazy : cryptic social media posts. You know the type: a jumble of acronyms, vague references, and absolutely no context. It's like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphs, and honestly, it makes me want to throw my phone across the room. I'm referring to those posts (and emails) from friends and family that leave you scratching your head. "OMG, just had the worst day. IDK what I'm going to do. BRB." Okay, BRB, but . . . what happened? Did a rogue squirrel steal your lunch? Did your car break down? Are you suddenly moving to Tasmania? I'm genuinely concerned, but I have no clue what's going on! And this got me thinking: Is this a modern form of writer's block? Are people so afraid of being unable to tell a story clearly that they resort to these vague snippets? Or is it just a sign of o...

Starry, Starry Night

In this episode, Starry, Starry Night . . . Welcome back to On the Fly! This week, we're exploring the basics of astrophotography. Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what's really out there? I’ve discovered a way to explore distant galaxies–without a telescope–or leaving my backyard. Consider this: each night, when the skies are clear, a breathtaking display unfolds above us—a cosmic dance of light and color. When you step outside, you notice the moon and perhaps a few stars. However, you can open a gateway to the universe with a camera, some adjustments, and a tripod. Suddenly, faint whispers of light transform into vibrant galaxies, swirling nebulae, and star clusters that shimmer like diamonds scattered across black velvet. That fuzzy patch you thought was just a smudge becomes the Andromeda Galaxy, our closest galactic neighbor, an astonishing 2.5 million light-years away. You're capturing light that has traveled millions of years to reach your came...

On The Fly

Search This Blog